New covering

[Jerevan]

The vulcanite fell off the camera in large pieces, and at first I considered putting it back with glue, but I decided not to. Sending it off to have a new vulcanite covering might be the best thing. But the waiting list at CRR Luton is long to get that done, and I would like to use the camera.

From a longevity standpoint, what would be the second best? I prefer something understated that does not shrink or fall off in a few years time.

Leather? Any other material that I've overlooked?

 

[bgb]

There are two sites that I know of that sell coverings for cameras, cameraleather in the USA and Aki Asahi in Japan. There is a thread here as well with pictures of recovered cameras and one on the service or lack of same from Cameraleather.
I like Griptac that cameraleather sells it's tough and makes the camera easier to hold on to 😉

http://www.cameraleather.com/
http://www.aki-asahi.com/store/
http://www.rangefinderforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=66889&highlight=cameraleather
http://www.rangefinderforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=116425&highlight=cameraleather

 

[Livesteamer]

Several years ago I bought a IIIc stepper with hopeless vulcanite. After getting it serviced I put black griptac on it and I like it very much. It looks good but more importantly it makes a small, heavy, valuable camera much easier to hold on to. I have another IIIc with good vulcanite but I much prefer the IIIc with griptac. Joe

 

[Dez]

I have had very good luck with both companies. They sell precut vinyl or leather coverings with adhesive already applied. In the two cases I have used their products, they fit perfectly and looked spot on.





Be sure you specify exactly which model you have to ensure you get the right version of the cover, with/without self-timer, with/without the little peg on the rewind side, for example.

By the way, what is that little peg for? I have always wondered?

Cheers,
Dez

 

[newspaperguy]

Another thumbs-up for griptac!

I have had great service and products from both vendors.

 

[Jerevan]

Dez,

the peg is for an accessory flash bracket (called CTOOM in Leica code). Your IIIc looks really nice!

Thanks for all the suggestions, everyone. I hedged my bets and bought different covers from the two dealers. But I might be tempted to buy a Griptac cover also.

 

[johannielscom]

Aloysius Ng of Camera Leathers can be found on Facebook and he has an interesting range of natural and composite leathers for (nearly?) all Leica's.


When I applied GripTac to my M3, I had to put up with light leaks from the bottom plate side and eventually installed light seal strips along the inside of the bottom plate. YMMV.

 

[bgb]

An article on the guy.
http://www.rfsg.asia/genuine-exotic-leathers-for-leica-m-by-aloysius/

Yet another reason to buy a Leica I guess this guy makes some beautiful stuff 😉 I found his Facebook page and I guess that's where he works from

http://www.facebook.com/Aloysius.LeicaLeathers/about

 

[Jerevan]

Aloysius has some nice stuff, but it is pretty hard to make out exactly what he has in stock, etc from the facebook page.

Johan, I was thinking about this yesterday, if it was possible to use "naked" but I suppose the fit of the bottom plate puts an end to that (heretic) idea. 🙂

 

[Dralowid]

If it is an ltm camera you should be able to use it 'naked'

 

[Jerevan]

Aha, well, I could aways run a film through the IIIb then, just for the experience. 🙂

 

[Dez]

If it is an ltm camera you should be able to use it 'naked'

Only in the summer. In the winter, all the shaking will blur your pictures.

Cheers,
Dez

 

[Jerevan]

I sure hope it will not take until winter before I get to cover the camera up! 🙂

BTW Dez, is that the 4008 cover on your IIIc?

 

[Dralowid]

I had a Leica once that had lost all its vulcanite. The previous owner, a keen Mr Fixit, has painted the exposed body matt black.

Sounds awful but actually it was sort of OK...

 

[Dez]

I sure hope it will not take until winter before I get to cover the camera up! 🙂

BTW Dez, is that the 4008 cover on your IIIc?

That particular camera was done with the Aki Asahi leatherette.

http://www.aki-asahi.com/store/html/IIIcf/IIIcf.php

It fit perfectly, and there was no drama in putting it on.

The camera was an old beater with much of the chrome flaked or rubbed off, much of the vulcanite gone, and thoroughly gummed-up works, which I bought for very little on ebay. The two really good things about it were that the shutter curtains were great, and there were no dents in it; a perfect candidate for cleaning and cosmetic overhaul. Hydrochloric acid did a great job of getting the chrome off without any significant impact on the brass. I'm not too happy with the paint (nitrocellulose black and clearcoat) as it tends to be very brittle. One of these days I'll strip it off again and try some good enamel. Of course it needs to wait in the queue with all the other "one of these days" projects.

Cheers,
Dez